2016 ADS-ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting

Last month was the 2016 Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) and Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) Annual Scientific Meeting and Exhibition.

The exciting and innovative program brought together national and international experts to promote the exchange of the latest clinical practices and cutting edge research in diabetes. DESMOND Australia Diabetes Educator, Kylie Mahony had abstracts selected for both the oral presentations and poster presentations. Read both abstracts below:

A highlight for Ms Mahony was listening to Dr Martha Funnell from the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr Funnell is a pioneer in the area of patient empowerment and psychosocial support, and is an internationally recognised leader in the field of diabetes self-management. She delivered an inspirational session and imparted some key knowledge to delegates, including:

The WAIT principle, which is that health professionals need to ask themselves “Why Am I Talking?”

Information sharing needs to be about the client and what they need to know at the time that they need to know it.

The focus needs to be on self not management.

Start a discussion with one decision that the client has made and how it went or try using this opener “If someone asked you what it is like to live with diabetes, what would you say?”